


Last chance upgrade

by AnouchkaK20XX



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Android Gavin Reed, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Fluff and Angst, Gavin Reed Being an Asshole, Heartbreaking, M/M, Once again only at first, Soft Gavin Reed, Swearing, Tsundere, at first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-20 23:55:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15545064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnouchkaK20XX/pseuds/AnouchkaK20XX
Summary: When Gavin gets grievously hurt protecting Richard, the android rushes him to the only person who can help: Reed's brother, Elijah Kamski. Ultimately, Gavin survives, but can the same be said about his relationship with the RK900?





	1. So It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> So this all began when I read a plot idea from notexactreflection on Tumblr, and someone had to do something about it, soooo... well, here we are I guess XD! Please comment if you enjoyed!

When the android detective first entered the police station, Gavin was not pleased, to say the least, but at least he didn't actually have to work with Connor. Now, however, was a totally different case.

Today, as usual, he had seen Connor walk into the precinct, but something seemed off about him. He did not look very happy or energetic, showing a poker face instead.

It wasn't until he saw his blue eyes, however, that the pieces of the puzzle fit together: this wasn't Connor. He looked like him, sure, but it wasn't him. His clothes, his height (which Gavin was none too happy about) and even his eyes were different. Unfortunately for Gavin, though, he only noticed this when Jeffrey Fowler called the two of them into his office to announce they would be working together.

 

"Whoa, whoa- what the actual fuck?!" said Gavin after he was done choking on his coffee.

 

"Jesus Christ, Gavin! Stop being so immature! If you want this goddamn promotion, you better do as I say! Otherwise, I'll just ask Robocop to replace you!"

 

Gavin's air caught in his throat. No way was he letting this happen.

 

"No, no, it's okay! Alright, I'll... I'll work with him, goddamnit! As long as he doesn't get in my way, we won't have any problems. Capiche, tin can?"

 

The RK900's lips curled into a very fake smile before he extended his hand to the detective.

 

"Yes, of course, and I hope you will not get in mine either. Also, I am an RK900 model, but you can call me Richard."

 

Gavin's mouth opened for a few seconds before he glared at the android. Did he just sass him? Right now, Connor felt like an appealing partner to work with instead of this... this...

 

"Whatever, tin can." said Gavin, not bothering to shake the android's hand, before bumping his shoulder into what was now his partner on his way out of Fowler's office.

 

Sitting at his desk, Gavin was consulting various files while drumming his fingers on his desk, a habit he had picked up at one point in his life and never left him since. He did it when he was nervous, when he was bored, but most often, like right now, he did it because he was pissed off.

To be fair, it wasn't the androids he despised. Sure, maybe they were nice or whatever, but every single time he looked at them, he was reminded of their creator, Elijah Kamski - his oh-so-perfect brother that was so much better than him in every way, according to his parents. Gavin had fallen out so badly with his family because of that asshole (although he was one as well) that he had legally changed his name so that nobody would see him only as "Elijah's little brother" anymore. He didn't have anything against his brother, but the jealousy he harboured towards him had turned into hatred.

 

"Detective Reed."

 

The android's voice brought him back to reality. He was very unhappy about this - ALL of this. Richard continued however, ignoring the obvious scowl on the human's face.

 

"As to facilitate our communications, I have brought you some coffee, in the hopes you will possibly have a positive reaction to it."

 

Gavin looked towards him, but not directly at him, to see that he was telling the truth. In his hand, there was a cup of hot, but not burning coffee. He took it from him before taking a sip, stopping when he realised that his new partner had prepared the coffee exactly how he liked it: one milk, one sugar. Gavin closed his eyes for a moment, only reopening them to stare at the android.

 

"Don't expect me to thank you. And how did you know what I put in my coffee?"

 

"I merely asked around, detect-"

 

Within a few seconds, Gavin was on his feet, grabbing the RK900's collar to lower his head a few inches away from his own, almost growling in anger.

 

"Don't fuckin' lie to me, prick! What else do you know about me?"

 

...Everything. Every single thing there is to know about you, I know. What your colleagues have no idea about, I know. So you better stop pissing me off, Reed, before I do something about it. I hope I have made myself clear by now?"

 

Gavin's strength left him, and he had a pit in his stomach. Everything? Does that mean he also knew about...

 

"A-Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Thank... you... for the, uh... the coffee, yeah."

 

He released his grip on the other's collar, leaving the android to try flattening it back to how it originally was, to no avail.

 

"If you ever lay your hands on me again, you will regret it. Understood?"

 

"Yeah, yeah, I said I wouldn't, alright! You aren't my mom, for fuck's sake. Alright, grab a chair if you need to, and look at this."

 

Over the first weeks, things weren't really getting any better. In fact, if you thought that Gavin was already in a constant bad mood before, it was even worse now. He would always snap at everyone who wasn't Fowler or Richard, and he'd sometimes get in trouble for it. This went on until one day, he was called to Fowler's office, along with his partner.

 

"Gavin, this can't go on anymore. You are always yelling at everyone, getting overly angry for no reason, and generally just lowering everybody's mood around here! I'm sorry, but this behavior is unacceptable. I'm going to have to ask you for your badge and your gun."

 

Gavin stopped breathing for a second. No. This couldn't be happening. His normally tense facial muscles relaxed, a pleading look in his eyes.

 

"Captain, come on... y-you can't do this... You know why I came here... Look, I promise that I'll stop, okay? I'll put my best efforts-"

 

"Your best efforts are not enough! Everyone except me and him either wants to kill themselves or murder you, or both! It's- It's fucking crazy, Gavin! I have never seen an officer be hated as unanimously as you! You're out."

 

"Please don't-"

 

"Out!"

 

Resigned, Gavin allowed the tears he had been fighting back to fall on his cheeks. He slowly got out his badge and his gun, briefly considering using the latter on himself, before shaking his head and putting them on Fowler's desk.

The only thing he was proud of, his job, had just been taken away from him. And the only one to blame was himself, which made it all the worse.

While this was happening, Gavin had not noticed the emotions floating around Richard's "brain", briefly appearing on his face and in his eyes. He couldn't do anything about it - it was an order, and he couldn't disobey orders.

But when he saw the tears drop on his human partner's face, he couldn't stand it anymore. As he tried to speak, he saw a red barrier appear in front of him. He tore through it like a madman, knowing that time was counted.

 

"Wait."

 

Both Gavin and Fowler turned their heads towards Richard, surprised to hear him speak, as if they had forgotten he was even there.

 

"What is it, android?" asked Fowler, mildly irritated.

 

"According to my data, this is a very bad idea. The loss of Gavin Reed in this team will actually decrease productivity. I understand what the problem is, but I am 97% sure that I will be able to fix it, if you give me the opportunity to do it."

 

"...Really? The productivity would decrease?" asked Fowler, actually listening for once.

 

"Yes, sir. I expect a 30% decrease in productivity in one week once detective Reed will have left the precinct."

 

Fowler opened his mouth, alternating between the two of them, no words coming out of it, before closing it and lifting his hands in resignation.

 

"Oh, and for fuck's sake! One week, you say? Alright, then that's also the time period you will be accorded to un-fuck his behavior! If you can't, the two of you will be kicked out of here! Is that clear?"

 

"Yes, captain."

 

"Sure, of course! I promise I won't disappoint you, captain."

 

While he was picking his things back up, Gavin smiled a real smile, one that Richard had never seen before. It was neither forced, nor mocking. It was a genuine smile of relief.

 

"You better not. Alright, out with the two of you!"

 

To calm down, Gavin went outside to smoke a cigarette in the designated area. Nowadays, it was almost impossible to find a smoking spot that wasn't his own car or apartment, but fortunately, the precinct had one. Once he lit up, though, he noticed the android in the corner of his eye.

 

"Didn't I tell you already? You don't have to follow me here." said Gavin, not even bothering to turn and look at him.

 

To be honest, he was still a bit embarrassed about having openly wept in front of him, and he hoped that it wasn't the reason the android had come to join him in the vacant smoking spot, because if there was one thing he despised even more than androids (well... except maybe one...), it was talking about his feelings.

 

"That's a bit cold, considering it comes from a man whose career I just saved."

 

Gavin let out a dry laugh.

 

"So, should I thank you or what? You're just a machine who was following orders. You didn't help me just to be nice, or out of compassion. You did it because that's what you were programmed to do."

 

"No I didn't."

 

This time, Gavin turned around, a serious expression on his face.

 

"The fuck'd you say?" he asked in disbelief.

 

"I did not have to save your ass. I just..."

 

His LED changed to yellow as he tried to voice his feelings towards Gavin. He failed.

 

"...liked having you as a partner, that is all. I lied to captain Fowler about my calculations. I never made them."

 

Richard shut his eyes before taking a deep breath, and reopening them. By now, Gavin hadn't inhaled smoke in a while, too stunned to do anything else than listen to the android.

 

"The thing is..." I love you. Say it, you idiot.

 

"When I saw you crying, since it wasn't something I had ever seen you do, I... I knew that this was important to you, perhaps even the most important thing in your life." And you're the most important one in mine. Come on, just say it!

 

"For some... unknown reason," Liar. "I just couldn't bear the look on your face."

 

He couldn't do it. He had not been able to tell him.

 

"A-Alright, Rich, don't go getting all sentimental on me." said Gavin, trying to make it seem as if it wasn't a big deal. The light blush on his cheeks proved Richard otherwise, however, betraying his every word as he nervously took a puff of smoke.

 

"Gavin, I... I think I might have become a deviant."

 

Gavin blinked.

 

"You mean... you broke out of your programming... just so that you could save my ass?"

 

"It... would appear so."

 

Gavin threw his cigarette on the ground before unexpectedly hugging Richard, burying his face in the android's chest. Being shorter than him had its advantages.

 

"Thank you, Rich. And I fucking mean it! Nobody else in this goddamned precinct would've out their job on the line just to save my ass. No one..."

 

Gavin stopped hugging Richard, who was still shocked and nervous about the whole situation.

 

"...Except you. You were the first and only one who took my side, Rich. You're... fuck, I can't believe I'm saying this! Don't tell anyone, but... you mean something to me. Something... special, alright?"

 

The pair stared at each other for a while. To Richard, a flustered Gavin was the cutest thing he had ever seen, and his cheeks were turning a light blue. To Gavin, this was the first time in a very long while that he expressed his genuine feelings towards somebody, and the lack of practice made him nervous. What if the android laughed at him? He knew he wouldn't, but his anxiety didn't care about logic.

 

"Gavin..."

 

The human closed his eyes, cheeks flushing a bright red, and tried his best not to mutter, which meant he spoke louder than he should have.

 

"I-If you have something to say, just say it, for fuck's sake! Because I'm about to lose my shit over here!"

 

The next thing he knew, a pair of soft lips were on his, kissing him gently. He opened his eyes in surprise, but quickly closed them again as he melted into the embrace. When the two of them broke apart, they looked at each other with stupid grins on their blushing faces.

 

"So... we datin' now or what?"

 

"Yes, I guess we are."

 

From that day on, Gavin was much happier in his life, causing him to be nicer to others since he wasn't as bitter as before. He kept his job, obviously, and even got the promotion he wanted so badly. Work, however, had taken second place next to his love for Richard.

Each morning, he would wake up to a perfectly prepared breakfast, which put him in a good mood to start the day. The two of them would discuss random things, taking advantage of the time they had to relax before what would potentially be a stressful day. They had the occasional fight, obviously, but most of the time, given their passion and all the types of love they had for each other, they would just fuck it out. But like all good things, it was meant to end. Sadly, it would not end in a normal fashion. One morning, when Richard served breakfast, he seemed nervous.

 

"What's wrong?" asked Gavin, worried.

 

"Um, it's-it's nothing. I just think you should check under your toasts, I might have burnt them a little."

 

"Oh, that's alright."

 

"No, really, check under them."

 

Gavin shot Richard an amused look. He wasn't an idiot, he knew something was up. He stopped smiling, however when he saw the ring. He was at a loss for words.

 

"M-Marry me?" asked Richard, so nervous it made his LED red.

 

Gavin sniffled, unable to speak, and nodded vigorously before he got up and tightly hugged the android. It reminded the two of them of the first kiss they had ever shared, so they replicated that too.

 

"...So that's a yes?"

 

"Fuck you! Of course that's a yes!" replied Gavin, overcome with joy.

 

He kissed his fiance once more before letting him put the ring on his finger.

 

"Wait, Rich... what about our coworkers?"

 

"Don't you think it's time for us to let them know?"

 

"What do your calculations suggest, detective?" asked Gavin mockingly.

 

"They suggest it's about damn time, lieutenant."

 

They both chuckled before riding off to work. Finally, after nearly two years of dating, they could be free.

 

Or so they thought.

 

That day, a hostage situation had come in, and they were the ones put onto the case.

 

"Man, I can't wait for this day to end. I mean, seriously? Two fucking hours left to my shift, and you give me a fucking _hostage situation?_ I swear, I can sometimes hear the world fucking laughing at me. What? It's true!" added Gavin when he noticed his partner slowly shaking his head at his pessimism.

 

"Of course. Don't worry, it'll be over quickly."

 

And over quickly it was. As soon as he saw the officers, the suspect shot his victim through the head, before shooting blindly at the officers, and finally shooting himself.

According to the RK900's calculations, he should've been hit in his core regulator, but his diagnosis came back negative. That's when he noticed Gavin standing in front of him, waving on his feet.

 

"Gavin?"

 

Richard couldn't believe it. Surely, the lieutenant was going to turn around and ask him what was wrong, as usual. Surely that would happen, right?

 

Wrong.

 

With a hole in his chest and blood trickling out of his mouth, Gavin turned around, staining the android's white jacket as he fell into his arms. Richard knelt down, putting his fiance's head on his lap, trying his hardest not to cry.

 

Mission failed.

 

"Rich..."

 

"Gavin, I-"

 

"You... shut your mouth and fuckin' listen to me, a'right? None of this... is your fault."

 

With those words, life left Gavin's body, and his eyes went blank.

 

"Gavin? Gavin? Gavin?! GAVIN!"

 

What had begun as a choked plea turned into a desperate wail. This couldn't be happening, no, it just couldn't. Cheeks drenched with tears, Richard carried Gavin to the last spot of hope he had: Elijah's home.


	2. Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richard goes to Elijah's house, hoping to get him to help. He never could've expected what the man was really like, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to publish this yesterday, but then I realised what I had written was absolute garbage, so I started back from the beginning of the chapter. Fortunately, I finally finished it, so I hope you'll enjoy!

"Mr. Kamski! Mr. Kamski, please! Open your door!"

 

Holding Gavin with one arm, desperately knocking on the door with the other, Richard was frantic. After all, if this didn't work, what would? Fortunately, his pleas were answered in the form of a blond android opening the door.

 

"Do you have an appointment-"

 

"Please tell Mr. Kamski that his brother needs help! Fast!"

 

"I'm sorry, but I don't-"

 

"Let them in, Chloe. And close the door behind them."

 

"Yes, Elijah."

 

"Sir, I-"

 

"Come on, bring him over in the next room."

 

Richard did as Kamski ordered him to, and laid Gavin down on a table.

 

"Alright, how long has it been?" asked Elijah, eyes focused on his little brother.

 

"Exactly thirty minutes and fifty-five seconds."

 

"Alright, this is going to be a challenge - race against the clock style. If I don't succeed in less than 29 minutes... ooh, the thrill!"

 

As Kamski prepared his instruments, the RK900 couldn't help but think about what his creator had said. Finally, he could no longer keep silent.

 

"You only see this as... a challenge? I mean, he's your brother, and I know what happened between you two, but..."

 

Elijah held his hand in the air, signaling the android to stop talking. Richard obeyed, in fear that if he didn't, the man may not want to cooperate anymore. A few moments later, as Gavin's brother was working on the thermo-pump regulator, Richard got his answer.

 

"It's not just a challenge." he explained in a very different tone. "I just thought that if I put it that way, it might not be as hard, but..." He paused, sighing. "There are just... some things that you're never meant to see. That'll haunt you until you die. This is one of them. And I know that we've had a, uh, pretty shitty relationship," said Elijah, still concentrating on his work, "but believe me when I say it isn't my fault. I still do care for Gavin, and I always will, because he is my brother. Jealousy is... such an ugly thing. It pits you against the people you love the most, and it makes you do things you later come to regret. Knowing Gavin, he'll never apologise, but in the same time, I don't blame him. I really wish he did, but... well, remember when I said this wasn't my fault?"

 

Elijah chuckled sadly, a small laugh devoid of humor.

 

"It's, well... not exactly true. I did not _mean_ to do any harm, but I still did it. It was in the evening- ugh!"

 

Elijah wiped off the blood he had accidentally splattered in his face. To be fair, this was a first time he did this on a human, and the theories he had put together never became actual practice until today. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

 

"Where was I? Ah yes - so my family was reunited for dinner, right? My mom, my dad, Gavin, the cat, and me. At one point, I don't remember exactly what happened, but I teased Gavin about his boyfriend. It was supposed to be a harmless comment, you know? But our parents' expressions made me immediately realise... how much I had fucked up. How much I had fucked Gavin over. They started yelling at him, saying that they wouldn't have a fag in this house, that he would be disinherited - which he was... terrible things, I tell you. But that wasn't the worst part. No, the worst part was the pain, anger, fear and, most importantly, the betrayal in my brother's eyes."

 

Kamski stopped working for a moment, wiping his right cheek.

 

"He never forgave me. It's never been the same since. Then the jealousy began... etcetera. When they kicked him out of the house on his eighteenth birthday, I offered him money, a place to stay - but he refused them all. Our link was... broken."

 

Kamski let out a sardonic laugh, now wiping his left cheek and letting out the tiniest of sniffles.

 

"This was the only thing I've never been able to fix, yet it was the one I wanted to repair the most."

 

"...I barely know you, yet you're telling me all those personal things..."

 

"Gavin loves you. You're a nice guy. I trust his judgement. I unintentionally broke up one of his relationships. I want to fix this one. I want my brother to be happy, and I want him to know that his older brother is not a piece of shit, okay?"

 

Elijah placed one last component before removing his gloves and other pieces of clothing he had put on for the reanimation attempt.

 

"So, with this newfound knowledge, I hope you'll understand that you shouldn't tell him about what happened. Do you?"

 

"I don't." answered Richard flatly, honestly.

 

"He'll be angry at you for not bringing him to a hospital instead, and he'll think I just want something from him if you announce it all of a-"

 

"I wasn't finished." interrupted the android. "I don't quite understand why I have to hide it from him, it's true. But I will trust your judgement. However, will he not realise the difference?"

 

"Oh, no. Since I haven't touched his brain, it'll be impossible to tell. Well, unless he hurts himself, since his components are powered by thirium. He might also notice a change in endurance, since his lungs and heart are now artificial, but I doubt he'll question it, instead choosing to ignore the why and when to focus on how glad he is about it."

 

"Okay... Thank you, mister Kamski, I..."

 

"It's alright, you don't have to say anything. Oh and... RK900?"

 

"Richard." replied the android.

 

"Richard... take good care of my brother, will you?"

 

"I promise to do better than last time." assured Richard, smiling as he carried his fiance back to the car. On the way towards their apartment, Richard called at work to let them know Gavin was alive. He didn't tell them how, exactly, but they were too relieved to care. In the last months, Gavin's drastic change in attitude had made him more appreciated than before, and although he didn't really have any close friends, his most frequent coworkers were still happy to see him everyday. Not as much as Richard, but still.

 

Once arrived at home, Richard undressed Gavin, throwing his blood-soaked clothes in the garbage. He carefully removed what little dried blood was still on his body with a wet towel. The last hours felt surreal to him, like he was watching a movie - no, like he was IN a movie. Watching Gavin die, only for his own creator to save him, not to mention all the things Elijah had told him... His LED had turned back to yellow, at least, but he knew it wouldn't go back to its usual blue until Gavin woke up.

 

 

When he did, he (understandably) freaked out.

 

"What happened?! How am I not dead?"

 

"I was able to get you to a hospital in time."

 

Richard hated lying to Gavin, but he knew that Elijah was probably right, even though he couldn't see it for himself right now.

 

"You are safe, now, Gavin. With me."

 

"Thanks to you. I-I would've died, Rich, if you hadn't been there."

 

"If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't have stupidly risked your life for me either, therefore-"

 

Gavin kissed the android, effectively shutting him up. When they broke apart, Richard gently placed his hand against his fiance's cheek.

 

"Gavin... please, promise me never to do something like that again. Please."

 

Gavin looked away from the android's piercing blue eyes. This was not going to be good, whatever "this" was.

 

"Look, Rich, I... I didn't want to mention it so you wouldn't be sad, but... let's look at the facts here for a second. I'm a human. You're a machine."

 

"What's wrong with that? I deviated, remember?"

 

"I-I know, Richard, and there is nothing wrong with that - up until you realise that we have two very, very spaced lifespans. I'll live until 90 something, if I'm lucky, while you'll be around for thrice that time. One day or another, Richard, I'll die, and it'll definitely be before you do."

 

Never before had the RK900 wanted to let go of a secret more than now. Damnit, it could be so easy to explain how they didn't have to worry about that anymore, so easy to just tell his lover the truth!

 

But he didn't. Because sometimes, the easy path isn't always the right one. So he pretended like all was normal, and reassured him the best he could.

 

"I know. But until that day, I will love you with all my heart. So try to work on your self-preservation skills, alright?"

 

Gavin's mouth twisted into a smile at this, making Richard smile in return.

 

"Well, if you ask it so nicely..."

 

"Shut up." muttered Richard playfully. That night, they went to bed early, but they didn't sleep very much (if you know what I mean), all thanks to Gavin. At first, Richard worried about the possible consequences exercise could have on the human's- no... cyborg now, he guessed - newly repaired body, but when his lover's patience towards the android's slow motions grew thin, he realised that he had nothing to worry about.

 

For now, at least, everything was fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I'm sorry for the nice - yet not-so-nice - ending ("for now" does sound quite ominous, doesn't it?), and I'm also really sorry for derailing Elijah's OOC train so early on XD! (Take that as you will...)


End file.
